Bellingham Festival of Music: Free Performances and Master Classes

Stefan Jackiw helps bring out the passion in  a Bellingham Violinist as part of the free master classes offered at the Bellingham Festival of Music

 07/10/2011 : As an update to this post, Isabel and I have made it to two exciting and well played free performances and one exceptionally brilliant master class with Stefan Jackiw.  I am not sure what Mr. Jackiw thought of my fidgety daughter and my friend Jeff's snoring service dog, but we all thought he was brilliant. Seeing him work with the young musicians was revelatory. All of  the musicians were technically competent, but Mr. Jackiw worked to bring the depth and meaning out of their music, also adding important (and interesting) historical comments about the inspiration for each piece.  As a "Violin Dad", I was very impressed and I learned a considerable amount about the importance of playing the instrument with passion. What Stefan voiced was the implementation of what most of us feel when we hear a great performance, but for novice audience members like myself it was gratifying to receive some insight into how musicians convey the passion of  such music to the audience. Thanks again, Stefan and the Bellingham Festival of Music!

The Bellingham Festival of Music will be offering free performances and master classes during The Bellingham Festival of Music which kicked off last night at the WWU Performing Arts Center.  The rest of the schedule is impressive. As usual, fine art performances are now priced above working middle class family budgets.  But so is everything else anyway.  Someone should be seriously thanked for this effort to connect classical music to the wider community.  So today, after you are done shopping at the Bellingham Farmer's Market  (the best farmer's market on the West Coast according to Sunset Magazine), drop by Mallard's Ice Cream with your budding musical protege and enjoy the good life!


Free performances include:

July 2

3:30 PM

Mallard Ice Cream

1323 Railroad Ave

July 6

12:30 PM

Whatcom Museum, Lightcatcher Building

Sponsors: Daniel & Sharona Feller

July 7

9:45 AM

WWU Performing arts Center Concert Hall

This will be the first rehearsal for the July 9 performance.

July 13

2:00 PM

Whatcom Museum of History & Art, Rotunda Room

Sponsors: Daniel & Sharona Feller

Free master classes include:

Stefan Jackiw, Violin

July 8

10 AM till Noon

Christ the Servant Lutheran Church 

2600 Lakeway Drive

Bellingham, WA

Jeremy Denk, Piano

July 12

10 AM till Noon

First Congregational Church

2401 Cornwall Ave.

Bellingham, WA